Dua After Fardh Salaah

The Sunnat-e-Muakkada Salaah after the Fardh Salaah is regarded as a completion of the Fardh in the sense that if there was any deficiency in the Fardh Salaah then such deficiencies are sorted out and covered up by the Sunnat-e-Muakkada. These Sunnats should be performed after the Fardh Salaah with the least delay possible as the following text indicates:

القيام إلى ) أداء ( السنة ) التي تلي الفرض متصلا بالفرض مسنون ) أي أنه يستحب الفصل بينهما كما كان عليه السلام إذا سلم يمكث قدر ما يقول : اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام ثم يقوم إلى السنة قال الكمال وهذا هو الذي ثبت عنه صلى الله عليه و سلم من الأذكار التي تؤخر عنه السنة ويفصل بينها وبين الفرض انتهى . ويخالفه ما قاله في الاختيار كل صلاة بعدها سنة يكره القعود بعدها والدعاء بل يشتغل بالسنة كيلا يفصل بين السنة والمكتوبة وعن عائشة أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم كان يقعد مقدار ما يقول اللهم أنت السلام الخ كما تقدم فلا يزيد عليه أو على قدره
(مراقی الفلاح)

The Ittisaal that is being referred to in the above text refers to the joining of the Fardh Salaah and the Sunnat-e-Muakkada that follows thereafter with as less delay as possible. After the Fardh of Zuhr, Maghrib and Esha (as these Salaahs have Sunnat-e-Muakkada afterwards), one should recite only a short Dua such as,

اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام

and thereafter one should commence the Sunnat Salaah. This was the habit of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and he would not delay any longer than the time that it took to recite the above Dua. This Ittisaal between the Fardh and the Sunnat-e-Muakkada is Masnoon as understood from the above Ibaarat. The Sunnat-e-Muakkada are Tawaabie of the Fardh thus Ittisaal is required. Now, if Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam only sat after the Fardh Salaah for the duration that it takes one to recite the above Dua and thereafter performed the Sunnat-e-Muakkada, it proves that this Dua should be recited immediately after the Fardh Salaah without any delay. In some narrations it is mentioned that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam would say ‘Astaghfirullah’ thrice, read the fourth Kalimah followed by the following Dua (this too would take up a minimum of time):

أنَّ النَّبِيَّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي دُبُرِ كُلَّ صَلَاةٍ مَكْتُوبَةٍ:
(( لا إلهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ المُلْكُ وَلَهُ الحَمْدُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ، اللَّهُمَّ لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الجَدَّ مِنْكَ الجَدُّ ))

In conclusion, the Dua should be made immediately after the Fardh Salaah without delay and then followed with the Sunnat-e-Muakkada Salaah except if a person is performing the Sunnat Salaah at home (as this will mean that a person has to travel from the Masjid to his home).

Certain Ulema such as Mufti Abdur Rahim Laajpur Rahimahullah are of the opinion that if a person adds a few more short Duas to the above then too it will be acceptable as it would not take up too much time and there would still remain a relative degree of Ittisal. Yes, a person can make lengthy Duas after the Fajr and Asr Salaah as there aren’t any Sunnat-e-Muakkada that follow. As for the remaining three Salaahs a lengthy Dua (on an individual basis) can be made after the Sunnat Salaah as you have correctly stated in your query. This is not merely a suggestion but the ruling of the Fuqaha deduced from the practice of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam as understood from the text of Maraaqil-Falaah above.

The duration of a short Dua has already been explained in the Ahadith quoted above as it clearly explains the duration of the Dua of Rasulullah after the Fardh which were followed by Sunnat-eMuakkada. Moulana Zafar Ahmad Rahimahullah has also discussed the issue of Ittisaal between the Fardh Salaah and Sunnat-e-Muakkada in I’laaus Sunan on page 187 vol.3. and this is also mentioned in Fataawa Mahmoodiyya on pg.684 vol.5 (Farooqiyya print).